


She’s Beautiful—The Drag Nate Kicking and Screaming Job

by crayonbreakygal



Series: The Babies Job [1]
Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 08:52:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12186852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal
Summary: The bench was cold, the night air frigid, but he didn’t dare go back inside. What had he done?  Takes place post series.





	She’s Beautiful—The Drag Nate Kicking and Screaming Job

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this for a while now. Just wanted to post some schmoopy things because all that I'm working on right now are angsty fic. Have fun!

She’s Beautiful—The Drag Nate Kicking and Screaming Job

Takes place post series.

 

The bench was cold, the night air frigid, but he didn’t dare go back inside. What had he done?  How had he gotten here? It all seemed so jumbled in his mind, these past few years, the last decade.  Probably the drinking, or lack of at that very moment in time. He’d promised, he remembered.  He most definitely promised.  He kept his promises these days, unlike in the years before. He’d now do anything, yes anything, to protect what was his.  Why was he sitting outside then?

The biting air didn’t clear his thoughts at all. He thought it might.  It wasn’t working.  Dammit. Why did this have to happen? And why was it his fault? It was entirely his fault. He’d take the blame.

Nate twisted his hands back and forth, building up the courage he knew he didn’t have.  He’d have to go in there and tell them all this was it. He couldn’t do it.  There was no way he could do this.

Only he had to. There was no way out of this one now.  He’d never be able to con himself or anyone else out of this outcome. This was all on him.  All on him.

As he walked slowly to the entrance, his breathing sped up, just like it always did when he crossed the threshold.  Old habits die hard.  If there had been a better way to do this, he would have.  This was the only way, the safest way, the best way.  Sophie had literally screeched about it for days, telling everyone there was no way she was handling it this way.  Eliot had pulled her aside, knowing that Nate couldn’t handle it and told her that this was it.

“It’s snowing,” a voice to his right said, taking his arm.

“Kinda pretty.”

“Kinda cold,” Eliot finished. “Ready?”

“Uhhh.  Ok.  See, there’s this.  You know, maybe there’s a bar somewhere around here.”

“It’s three o’clock in the morning. No bar,” Parker reminded Nate.

“Besides, you do not want to bring down the wrath of Sophie Devereaux, I mean Ford, on your head.”

“It’s Baker for this one,” Nate informed the crew.

“Means I gotta do stuff.  Why did you not tell me going in?”

“I just thought.”

“Yeah, well, better to not have Sterling on our asses.”

“Although, we did give him the slip in Belgium,” Eliot added.

“So I was informed,” Nate growled back.  “For an hour on the phone.”

“And he still got the damn credit for it. Ungrateful ass that he is.”

“Hardison, not like we could take the credit,” Parker said.

They’d made it to the entrance, surrounding Nate like they were going into battle.

“Ready, old man?” Eliot asked.

“I’m getting too old for this shit,” he voiced as he pushed through the door.

“Not old enough,” Hardison sing-songed back to Nate.

Nate’s middle finger came up, letting Hardison know his comment was not appreciated.

“I’m just sayin’. We know how these things happen.”

“You do, Hardison? Since when?” Eliot joked back.

“You think you’re funny.”

“I am. I know I am.”

Nate listened to the two of them bicker while Parker pushed the elevator button.

“Maybe I’ll just,” Nate started.

Eliot took one arm, Hardison the other, ushering him into the elevator before the doors closed.  Parker smirked his way, either in sympathy to him or her two cohorts.  He could never tell with her.

“We could just knock him out,” Eliot put forth.

“And endure the wrath of Sophie?” Hardison said as they all stood in the elevator, watching the numbers get larger.

“Is that what we’re calling it now?  ‘Cuz I could call it any number of things, you know.”

“We know, Parker,” both Eliot and Hardison answered in unison.

“Oh, boy,” Nate grimaced, knowing that he could really be in trouble on this one.

“Well, if Nate hadn’t, I’m not even gonna say it.”

“Geez, Hardison. Do I have to draw you a picture?” Eliot said as he turned to Hardison.

“No,” both Parker and Nate added for good measure.

“And here we are.  Eighth floor.”

Parker sounded way too proper at that moment, Nate wanted to strangle her.  See, that might get him out of facing the consequences.  The screech down the hall had him stopping in his tracks, mouth dry, feet stuttering to a halt.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Hardison said as he took Nate’s arm again.  “You’re partially responsible for this catastrophe.”

“Could all y’all quit calling it that?”  Eliot was getting more and more ticked off at his attitude.  “You are gonna suck it up, do you understand me?”

Parker made some gestures with her hands, smiling as she did. Hardison covered her mouth, instead of stopping her rude gestures until Eliot did that.

“Who taught you that?” Eliot inquired once her hands were still.

“Sophie.”

The three men glared at her.

“That was just rude,” Hardison told her as he kept hold of Nate’s arm.

“But it’s true. Geez. Lighten up. Not like you won’t be experiencing the same thing come June.”

Eliot’s eyes narrowed at Parker. Hardison started to hyperventilate.  Nate just stood there, mouth open, not knowing what to say.  Another screech permeated his thought processes, which had slowed down to almost nothing.

“We, you, I, ok.  Umm, are you, ok.  I need to reboot here, folks.”

Eliot finally smiled, pulling Parker into a giant hug.

“Fuck you, Nathan Ford.  I am never letting you touch me again,” Nate heard down the hall.

“Great.  She just blew your alias,” Parker said as Eliot put her down.

“Ok, we, um, what.”   Hardison still hadn’t rebooted yet.

“I should probably, before she does something we won’t be able to cover up,” Nate said hurriedly, not wanting to deal with the three of them and their lives right then. He had enough to deal with on his own.

“Can I watch?”

“No,” the three of them told her at the same time.

“Sophie wants her privacy,” Eliot reminded the thief.

“Sophie doesn’t want anyone up in her business.”

“Too gory for you,” Parker reminded the hacker.

“Hey, that horror movie was not labeled as horror.  Caught me off guard.”

“This is not a horror movie, guys. Seven months,” Eliot growled. 

“Well, actually six and a half, because you know,” Parker said as she made a rude gesture again.

A nurse looked at them strangely as Parker’s hands kept moving.

“Parker, we know you had sex with Hardison,” Eliot told her, pulling her hands down. She snorted in response.

“Shhh,” Hardison gestured back.

“Takes two to tango, doesn’t it Nate?” Parker winked at Nate.

“Bloody hell,” Sophie’s voice carried down the hall.

“You better get in there or so help me,” Eliot told Nate, hands clenched at his sides.

Taking two deep breaths, Nate strolled down the hall with purpose.  He was taking his life into his own hands going through that door. Hospitals scared him. The smells, the sounds, even the tastes made him queasy and uneven and downright uncomfortable, in addition wanting to faint. Maybe deep breathing wasn’t such a good idea.

“Tell Sophie good luck and we love her.  We’ll be right out here,” Parker yelled as Nate opened the door to Sophie’s room.

“Oh, there you are, sweetie,” Sophie said as he walked into the room.

Oh hell no, as Hardison was fond of saying. He was up shit’s creek without a paddle.  Was her head spinning around yet?

“Well, hello there. She assured me you’d be coming. Any questions?”

How could he get out of this?  Where could he hide? She’d find him that was for sure. Sophie Devereaux, Ford now, would find him, unman him and leave him for the vultures to feed.

“Nate, Nate,” Sophie snapped her fingers in front of him.

“I thought you said his name was Tom?”

“Oh, middle name. It’s his pet name.”

She smiled up at him.  He patted her awkwardly on the arm in return.

“You need to snap out of this, sweetie. Before I do something rash like…”

Sophie stopped, grabbed his hand and squeezed very, very hard.

“Son of a bitch,” she growled. Now there was the Sophie he knew and loved. “You fucking son of a bitch.”

“Now, I’m not sure using foul language is in your best interests.”

“Nate, where’s Eliot?  I need Eliot.  You know that thing he does with his hands,” Sophie reminded Nate as she came down from the pain.

“Not a good idea.”

Nate took a few breaths, looked out the window to steady himself. He’d give her the world right at that moment, but he couldn’t.  No way would he have Eliot kill the nurse just because Sophie didn’t like her. No way.

“If you know what’s good for you,” Sophie went on.

“Where’s the doctor?” Nate turned and asked the nurse.

“Oh, he’ll be along shortly.”

“This is all your fault. If you hadn’t insisted, I’d be in my suite, blissfully drugged out of my gourd. No, I’m here, in this godforsaken town.”

“Well, ma’am. That’s not very nice,” the nurse started.

“She’s just in a lot of pain,” Nate came out with, changing to his con voice.  “You know how they get and all.  Just wanted to do this where she had everything set up.”

Eliot, Parker and Hardison had only needed them for one small thing and it had worked.  They were preparing to drive back to New York when it happened.  Four hours. That’s all they had needed.

“My fucking drugs.”

“There was a three car pile-up on the interstate.  The anesthesiologist was needed in surgery.”

“I don’t care,” Sophie screeched out, sounding like she was cresting again.

“Now, don’t you fret.  You’re almost there, I’m sure.”

“I want to go home,” Sophie cried into Nate’s hand.

Nate pushed Sophie’s sweat stained hair off her forehead, trying to console her and possibly cool her off at the same time.

“See, we’re almost done.”

“Almost done?  What the hell are you doing? Don’t think for one second that you’ll touch me ever again after this. Got it?”

Nate put his hands up in surrender.

“Hey, hey, doin’ ok there, darlin’?”

Eliot chose to poke his head in the door just as Nate contemplated bolting again.

“Oh, Eliot. You have to help me. I want to go home.  I want you to ki…”

Nate put his hand over Sophie’s mouth before the nurse could hear what she was suggesting to Eliot.

“Ice chips, Nate. Don’t you remember anything?” Eliot said as he took Sophie’s other hand.

“Maybe?”

Why was his brain such a jumble?  He could con his way across the world, make corrupt CEOs pay for their transgressions, but he couldn’t remember what he’d learned in that stupid childbirth class Sophie had insisted they attend.  None of it was relevant. None of it. It was all a waste.

“Ok, Dad, time to change.”

Nate turned to the nurse, eyebrows shooting up.

“Change?”

“So you can catch the baby.”

“What?”

“Nate, Nate. She’s joking. You’re joking, right?” Eliot tried to give the scene a bit more levity.

The nurse giggled back, but still handed him a top.  “You never know. I had one dad just lose it as the baby was coming out. Gotta be prepared for everything.”

Now Nate’s stomach was even queasier. Stripping his shirt off, he got the top on right before another contraction hit.

“Son of a bitch, son of a bitch, son of a bitch,” Sophie screeched out, face turning red.

“Come on, Soph. Breathe. Just breathe. Don’t tense up, hon.  You got this.  That’s it. You can do this.”

Eliot could do this. Nate could just sit and watch.  Even he started breathing with Eliot.

“See, Nate. Not hard.  Not the star student?”

“Not exactly,” Sophie told Eliot as she released the hold she had on his hand.

“Told you I should have gone,” Parker said as she now poked her head in the door.

“But you’re in Portland. Kind of hard to do that once a week.”

“Skype or whatever they’re calling it now.”

Parker walked in, sitting on the bed on Sophie’s other side, which gave Nate the only place, at the foot of the bed, closer to the action so to speak.

“Do I have to come in?” they all heard a small voice out in the corridor.

“She’s not gonna bite,” Eliot told the hacker.

“Sure about that?”

“Get in here,” Sophie growled out, clenching around Eliot’s hand again.

Parker reached out and took her other, smiling down as she did. 

“It’s ok. You won’t hurt my hand.” Parker mouthed baby Ford’s way.

“She has quite the grip there, Parker,” Eliot said as his fingers turned white from the pressure.

“Oh, you’re right,” Parker agreed. “Ow, ouch.  Sophie.  No one’s gonna want to hold my hand?”

“Parker, we’ll hold your hand whenever you like,” Sophie sighed out, clearly looking exhausted.

“No, I mean, when a contraction hits. I might break something.”

“Contraction? What?”

Sophie looked from Parker to Eliot to Hardison and back again. Nate just shrugged his shoulders, only knowing what little he knew from out in the corridor.

“Oh, Parker,” Sophie cried out, pulling Parker into a hug.  “That’s so lovely.”

Parker pulled away from Sophie abruptly.

“Sophie, the bed’s squishy,” Parker grimaced.

“Oh, something happened just then.”

“Water broke,” both Eliot and Nate said in unison.

Hardison made a gagging noise, then turned around to not look at the scene.

“Nate, Nate, where’s the nurse?”

The nurse had left moments before, probably to get more supplies.

“I don’t know. Why?” he inquired, moving over to Parker’s side of the bed.

“Because I need to push. Now!”

Hardison rushed out the door to find the nurse and possibly a doctor. Eliot moved down to see what was going on, which bothered Nate immensely. He knew next to nothing about that kind of thing, even with actually witnessing it once before.  Parker took Eliot’s place on the other side, helping Sophie sit up a bit because that’s what she wanted to do.

“There’s hair. Lots of hair.”

“Let me see.”

Gone was the cursing. Sophie concentrated on one thing and one thing only:  getting that baby out of her body as quickly as she could. He had never seen her so focused in her life, even during the most intricate cons she had pulled over the years.

“Soph, I don’t think it’s gonna take more than one or two pushes and she’s out,” Eliot said as he donned gloves. “Where’s the damn doctor?”

“It’s a girl?”

Nate did not know, did not want to know, telling the rest of them he wanted to be surprised. He was so afraid, so worried that he’d become attached, if something happened, he might not have been able to live with himself.

“Yes,” Sophie cried, taking a breath in between pushing.

“Ok, Sophie, one more time,” Eliot encouraged her.

Instead of staying at Sophie’s head, Nate actually did move down, just to see his daughter being born.  He hadn’t had the courage to do that with Sam. The fact that Sam had been born via C-section hadn’t given him that option. Now he could at least watch.

“Oh, oh, you’re not supposed to be pushing,” the nurse said as she walked into the room.

“Eliot, kill her for me,” Sophie whined as she pushed again.

“Lady, she ain’t waiting.”

Nate had somehow been handed gloves. One more push and the head was out.  One last push, and his daughter came into the world.  A few seconds later, she grabbed his heart and held on for dear life with a wail worthy of her mother.

“You did it, Sophie. You really did it,” Parker exclaimed.

Hardison chose to walk back in at that moment, saw the carnage that was birth, gagged again, and walked right back out.

“We got her, Soph.  She’s just,” Nate couldn’t finish the sentence, watching as the nurse placed the baby on Sophie’s stomach.

“Well, I guess we have an eager beaver here,” the doctor expanded as he walked into the room.  “Good job, there.”

Both Eliot and Nate turned to the doctor, both scrambling out of his way now that he was ready to take over.  Nate really wanted to gag a bit too, but since he hadn’t had much to eat that day, it helped not having much in his stomach.

“Let’s go see how much this whipper snapper weighs, Dad.”

“Eliot, please,” Sophie begged.

“I ain’t doin’ it, Soph.”

Kissing Sophie lightly on the forehead, Nate followed the nurse over to a table, to watch over his baby girl.

“Oh, really.  That’s what that is?  Oh, will you look at that. Interesting.”

“Parker,” Eliot shushed her.

Nate did not want to look. He only had eyes for the most beautiful being in the world, well, next to Sophie.

“Eight pounds, thirteen ounces, 21 inches long.  Perfect.”

The nurse was exactly right.  Perfect in every way.

“Would you like to hold her?  The doc has to get Momma cleaned up.”

The nurse handed his baby girl to him after doing whatever else needed to be done to a newborn. It was all such a blur he remembered later. Once the blanket was wrapped and the hat was placed on her head, the nurse handed him the most fragile being in the world to him.  His chest felt like it was crushing him, his brain misfired so many times, he couldn’t even remember what day it was much less who he was.  All he could see was a round face, dark hair sticking out from underneath the hat.  Her eyes slowly opened, staring up into his. Sam had done the exact same thing to him all those years ago.  Oh Sam, your sister will not want for anything.

All the arguments that ran through his brain out in the cold, he was too old, too set in his ways, too jaded, too selfish, went away at that moment.  She was his. He was hers. He’d never let her down like he let Sam down.

“Nate,” he heard Sophie say.  “Can I see my daughter?”

He hadn’t realized he had started crying, tears dripping down on her blanket.  Both Sophie and Parker had been crying too.

“I’m sorry, I. She’s just,” Nate babbled.

“Oh my god, she’s beautiful,” Parker exclaimed as she peaked at the baby.

“Ok, Parker, let’s go.  Let them have a few moments alone.”

Parker kissed Sophie on the cheek, then kissed Nate too, wiping her tears away as she walked with Eliot out of the room. Both Nate and Sophie ignored what was going on around them, as the nurse and doctor went about their business. Sophie held her arms out for her daughter, starting to cry again when Nate placed her in them.

“Oh Nate, what have we done?  Are we ready for this?”

“This almost didn’t happen.”

“But it did,” she said as she looked up at him.  “Thank you.”

That startled Nate. Why would she be thanking him? For getting her pregnant when she insisted that she really didn’t want to be a mother?  For the fights and challenges that they went through for the last nine months?  For the scare that happened at the fifth month that startled the both of them, making them realize that they did want this child very much?  The fact that she decided to come early, which now seems like that was not true because she was huge compared to what Sam was when he was born? They miscalculated. Happens all the time. So maybe it wasn’t an oops moment after all.

“She’s beautiful. Just like her mother.”

 


End file.
